PR and content marketing blog

In the height of Christmas drinks party season, I often get asked the inevitable question: “So what do you do?” My reply that I’m a PR consultant is often met with baffled bemusement or worse, the usual quips about Ab Fab and how many bottles of Bolly I get through a week. (None by the way, I prefer a good cup of strong coffee!)

The problem is, a public relations professional can be all sorts of things, depending on which sector they work in, but the main principle is the same. We have clients, whether companies or individuals, and our job is to make them famous. By acting as middle man or woman between the client and the journalist, we secure editorial coverage in many forms. This is the Janet and John version as of course it’s far more complicated than that. There are issues such as managing brand reputation, crisis management and making decisions on when to keep your client out of the press. And then there's integration with social media, blogs and other online content – the list goes on and on.

However, a more important question is: What makes a good PR consultant? Many people may try their hand at PR but do they have what it takes to be in it for the long haul?

Having worked in PR and journalism for all my working life to date, I have had time to analyse this question so I can share at least some of the answers. It goes without saying that stellar writing skills and creativity are essential, but what other assets are needed?

Here are my top five attributes of a great PR person:

A nose for a good story. Often there can be a juxtaposition between what the client wants to put out about themselves and what journalists want for their content. If you can’t see the difference between what’s a story and what’s purely promotional, you’ll never achieve that precious coverage for your client. A PR’s job is to find the story, whether it’s for a trade or consumer publication. PR professionals who have also worked as journalists will have learnt to hunt out the story but there are other ways. It may sound simple, but good PR profs always religiously read the publications they are targeting.

An attention to detail. Things often get lost in translation when a lot of people are contributing to something. A PR professional needs to possess that dogged attention to detail to ensure nothing gets lost along the way and no inaccuracies creep in. Losing context by missing an important aspect of the story could change its meaning and ultimately backfire. As well as being able to put all the pieces of the puzzle together, a top PR will have razor-sharp proofreading and editing skills.

The patience of Job. The plan hasn’t worked out how you’d envisaged and your ideas have been thrown out. What do you do? Phone a friend and moan? Cry? Lose your temper with the client? Nope, none of the above. You put it all behind you, start the new day afresh and come up with something new. Above all, quiet, determined persistence is the key to getting where you want.

Persuasive superpowers. This has nothing to do with charm or with persuading Lord Sugar to take you on as his next business partner. Persuasive superpowers are subtle and the recipient is unaware of their effect. Experienced PR consultants always have their clients’ best interests at heart and know how to act upon them at all times, whether they are dealing with stakeholders, journalists, partners or even competitors. A dash of diplomacy also needs to be added to the mix. The ability to bring someone round to your way of thinking without coming across as manipulative is what makes the difference between a mediocre PR specialist and a great one.

Honesty and integrity. We only have to look at the news headlines to see what happens when a PR professional doesn’t act with honesty and integrity. The two are inextricably linked and are vital components of good PR practice. In PR, a lot of decisions have to be made, often within tight timescales. If you don’t behave in an honest manner at all times, even when under pressure, your PR business will soon collapse like a house of cards. When PR consultants and PR agencies start stretching the truth, it also leads to misconceptions around ‘spin Doctors’. A good PR should never lie and often has to tell uncomfortable truths, but it’s the way you tell them that’s important.

What do you think makes a good PR professional? Leave your comments below.